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Title: Nuclear fuel element

Abstract

A nuclear fuel element and a method of manufacturing the element. The fuel element is comprised of a metal primary container and a fuel pellet which is located inside it and which is often fragmented. The primary container is subjected to elevated pressure and temperature to deform the container such that the container conforms to the fuel pellet, that is, such that the container is in substantial contact with the surface of the pellet. This conformance eliminates clearances which permit rubbing together of fuel pellet fragments and rubbing of fuel pellet fragments against the container, thus reducing the amount of dust inside the fuel container and the amount of dust which may escape in the event of container breach. Also, as a result of the inventive method, fuel pellet fragments tend to adhere to one another to form a coherent non-fragmented mass; this reduces the tendency of a fragment to pierce the container in the event of impact.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
867748
Patent Number(s):
5002723
Assignee:
United States fo America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
nuclear; fuel; element; method; manufacturing; comprised; metal; primary; container; pellet; located; inside; fragmented; subjected; elevated; pressure; temperature; deform; conforms; substantial; contact; surface; conformance; eliminates; clearances; permit; rubbing; fragments; reducing; amount; dust; escape; event; breach; result; inventive; tend; adhere; form; coherent; non-fragmented; mass; reduces; tendency; fragment; pierce; impact; fuel pellet; located inside; fragmented mass; fuel element; nuclear fuel; elevated pressure; inventive method; substantial contact; fuel container; primary container; /376/29/264/420/976/

Citation Formats

Zocher, Roy W. Nuclear fuel element. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Zocher, Roy W. Nuclear fuel element. United States.
Zocher, Roy W. Tue . "Nuclear fuel element". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867748.
@article{osti_867748,
title = {Nuclear fuel element},
author = {Zocher, Roy W},
abstractNote = {A nuclear fuel element and a method of manufacturing the element. The fuel element is comprised of a metal primary container and a fuel pellet which is located inside it and which is often fragmented. The primary container is subjected to elevated pressure and temperature to deform the container such that the container conforms to the fuel pellet, that is, such that the container is in substantial contact with the surface of the pellet. This conformance eliminates clearances which permit rubbing together of fuel pellet fragments and rubbing of fuel pellet fragments against the container, thus reducing the amount of dust inside the fuel container and the amount of dust which may escape in the event of container breach. Also, as a result of the inventive method, fuel pellet fragments tend to adhere to one another to form a coherent non-fragmented mass; this reduces the tendency of a fragment to pierce the container in the event of impact.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}